All Your Fears
by the bones family tree
Summary: He's Michael Corner: all statistics and no substance. ((Michael/Susan)) ONESHOT


_And all your tears are fading away._  
_All your fears, they are sailing today._

* * *

This is how their story starts.

She's just a broken mess of a person.

And she knows so.

Hell, everyone in Hogwarts knows.

She can't say she's lost everything, she doesn't have everything in the first place, but she can say she's lost matter and meaning.

She's Susan Bones: very little matter and no meaning.

She had some before though, she can remember before.

Amelia had lived with her and her mother, ever since she could remember and before that too.

She didn't know why though, but sometimes, sometimes, she could remember seeing a tear roll down her aunt's cheek or her hands run through her hair as she would let out a sad sigh, and Susan wouldn't know what to do.

How is a six year old meant to comfort someone in pain?

How is a sixteen meant to be in a lasting state of pain?

She sticks by her routines.

Routines offer structure and support where there is none.

They offer a busy head to block out the numbing pain that would otherwise overwhelm her.

She wakes up as the first class starts and with a mad rush she gets ready.

She apologizes for being twenty (but usually thirty) minutes late.

McGonagall is more than understanding, and sends her off to sit next to Padma Patil.

Slughorn is apologetic and says the same old thing about her aunt and sends her off to sit with Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Even Snape is slightly accommodating; he only gives her a twenty minute detention, as compared to the usual hour one.

She gets by.

She goes to her classes.

She goes to the Quidditch games.

She goes on the Hogsmeade trips.

And soon enough, everyone thinks she's fine.

But she's not.

* * *

He's the perfect example of what a sixteen year old boy should be.

And he knows so.

Hell, everyone in Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw (thinks so) knows.

He has a girlfriend, he has mates, he's one of the Chasers on the Quidditch team, he gets Acceptable or Exceeds Expectations on his school work; he has all matter and no meaning.

He's Michael Corner: all statistics and no substance.

He had some, he thinks, maybe last year or the year before, but not anymore.

He goes to parties and believes that whatever's running through him is 'substance'.

But he wakes up with a hangover and the realization that he's empty inside.

He wonders what's missing from inside of him, he has a soul, he has a heart, he has a mind, he has wants and needs, likes and dislikes, friends and foes.

So what's this gaping hole in the middle of him that keeps him awake at night?

He gets up in the morning and has breakfast with Cho.

He goes to class and sits at the back and doesn't pay attention.

McGonagall gives him her death stare and he holds up his book at show her his notes.

She growls and gives him a warning but it never holds up.

Slughorn gives him a tick for his potion but isn't all that impressed.

Snape gives him an hour detention, again, and tells him that he's a 'smart-ass git'.

He replies with a wink and asks if teachers can talk like that to students. (The answer is no, but no-one is going to do anything about it, no-one, not even himself, disagrees with Snape's comment.)

One hour becomes two.

He gets by.

He goes to his classes.

He plays in the Quidditch games (and half the time wins).

He goes to the Hogsmeade trips (even if there isn't one scheduled.)

He gets by.

He really does.

* * *

Professor Sprout asks her if she's okay.

She replies with a swift nod and a fractured smile.

Cho breaks up with him.

He replies with a swift nod and a small smile.

Zacharias Smith asks her on a date.

Hannah Abbott fancies Zacharias Smith.

She says no.

* * *

Eloise Midgeon asks him out on a date.

Terry Boot fancies Eloise Midgeon

He says no.

* * *

Everyone fancies everyone else.

Except her.

She's alone.

Zacharias Smith soon enough asks Hannah Abbott on a date.

She says (screams) yes.

Susan knows (but wishes she didn't) this because she shares a dorm with Hannah Abbott.

* * *

Everyone fancies everyone else.

Except him.

He's alone.

Eloise Midgeon soon enough asks Terry Boot on a date.

He says yes.

Michael knows this because he shares a dorm with Terry Boot.

* * *

Winter is coming.

The air is chilled against her skin (she lost her jumper) and it's making her shiver.

The Whomping Willow lies dormant and she can almost walk right underneath its branches.

Almost.

* * *

Winter is coming.

The air is chilled against his cheek (he's wearing his jumper, his cloak, his scarf and his beanie) and he wonders if there's some sort of invention that you can place on your face to keep it warm.

The Whomping Willow is just in front of him, but he doesn't go near (every Quidditch player is afraid of the tree ever since it destroyed Potter's broomstick in third year), but someone else is.

"Are you an idiot?!"

* * *

"Are you an idiot?!"

…Michael?

She turns on her heel and walks slowly towards him (she's not a hundred percent sure it is him, you can barely see his face through the numerous layers of fabric).

"Sometimes…But I try not to be."

* * *

"Sometimes…But I try not to be."

…Susan?

He laughs (and the void starts to close).

Her hair is the most shocking shade of red, her skin pale, her cheeks rosy, eyes hazel.

She's beautiful.

And she's broken.

"You're going to freeze to death. Here."

He takes off his cloak and wraps it around her shoulders, the cold air hits him but he suddenly doesn't mind one single bit.

"Better?"

* * *

"Better?"

His hands are rough; she can feel the skin of his palm brush against her thin shirt.

But they're warm and large and…comforting?

His hair is a scruffy brown uncontrollable mess, startling blue eyes like the sky that pierce her own, skin that's actually paler than her own, almost like freshly fallen snow (she's always been one for details).

He's handsome.

And he's empty.

* * *

She should, give it back and walk away.

(But she doesn't want to.)

"You didn't have to Corner."

* * *

"You didn't have to Corner."

He chuckles (again) and just shrugs it off with a smirk.

He runs a hand through his hair and runs his tongue along his lower lip.

The void is closing.

He can feel it.

But he doesn't know what it is yet.

As far as he's concerned it's just his lunch disagreeing with him.

He invites her to dinner.

And she says "Yes."

* * *

She smiles (almost grins) when he chuckles and shrugs it off with the slightest giggle.

She fiddles with her sleeves and crosses her legs, biting her lower lip.

Something is seeping through her again.

She can feel it.

But she doesn't know what it is yet.

As far as she's concerned he just has some weird charm on his cloak and it makes you feel all…warm on the inside.

He invites her to dinner.

She's going to say no, she is, the word is on the tip of her tongue.

She says "Yes."

* * *

Routines change.

She wakes up in the morning and has breakfast with Michael and Ernie (and occasionally Zacharias too.)

Michael wraps his arm around her shoulder, and brushes her hair out of her face.

Like in those awfully cheesy films.

Ernie makes a few bad jokes and flirts with everyone and anyone who walks past.

She walks with Michael to his first lesson, and then walks back around the castle to her own.

She's ten minutes late.

McGonagall growls at her and gives her a warning.

Slughorn nods at her and motions to her seat next to Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Justin tries to flirt with her. Again.

Snape is indifferent and gives her an hour detention.

At lunch she sits with Michael, Terry, Eloise, Ernie, Hannah and Zacharias.

Michael wraps his arm around her again and asks her about her day.

Terry and Eloise snog.

Hannah and Zacharias snog.

Ernie flirts with a passing Gryffindor.

Michael kisses her on the cheek and goes to talk to the captain of his Quidditch Team.

Eloise walks with her to her next class.

"How long have you and Michael been dating?"

Susan gives her friend a look of confusion.

"We're just friends."

Eloise laughs and walks into the Charms classroom.

But they're just friends, right?

* * *

Routines change.

He wakes up in the morning and has breakfast with Susan and Ernie (and occasionally Zacharias).

He doesn't know it but he wraps his arm around her shoulder.

He does know, though, that he pushes her hair out of her face.

It makes her nose crinkle ever so slightly, her lips curve up, and her eyes shine.

She's beautiful.

Ernie makes a lot of bad jokes and flirts with every breathing soul that comes past him.

He walks to his first lesson with her, his arm always brushing against her own, and then she walks all the way back around the castle.

McGonagall growls at him and he shows her his book.

Then realizes the page is blank.

Detention.

He stuffs up the potion (and blows off Pansy Parkinson's eyebrows, he says she looks better without them) and Slughorn shakes his head in disappointment (even if he did laugh at an eyebrow-less Pansy).

Detention.

Snape gives him a detention for 'being alive.'

At lunch he sits with Susan, Ernie, Terry, Eloise, Zacharias and Hannah.

He doesn't know it but he wraps his arm around her shoulder.

He asks her about her day.

She's beautiful.

Terry and Eloise snog.

Hannah and Zacharias snog (but Michael's pretty sure that's not all they're doing).

Ernie flirts with a passing Gryffindor and gets rejected.

Again.

He kisses her on her cheek and goes to talk to the captain of his Quidditch team.

The captain informs him that he's on the 'three detention' rule and can't play in this week's game.

He realizes he kissed Susan on the cheek.

His cheeks turn slightly red and he smiles to himself.

Terry walks with him to his next class.

"How long have you and Susan been shagging?"

Always blunt Terry.

"Nah mate, we're just friends."

Terry coughs and it sounds surprisingly like 'bullshit'.

But they're just friends, right?

* * *

They're best friends.

She mouths the words.

Best Friends.

She asks Madame Pince what she thinks the words mean.

Madame Pince tells her to stop wasting her time.

She asks Lavender Brown what she thinks it means.

Lavender Brown says friends who also have sex.

She asks Padma Patil what she things it means.

Padma Patil says the person closest to you.

The person closest to Susan was her aunt.

And she's dead.

What's Michael then?

Michael's…

Michael's…

Michael's… She can't find the right word.

Michael's….Michael.

* * *

They're best friends.

He watches Terry effortlessly block one of Slytherin's flimsy shots.

Best friends.

She's beautiful.

Sixty – Forty. Ravenclaw's way.

She's beautiful.

Luna Lovegood is commentating.

She's beautiful.

Apparently the Snitch is covered with…Wrackspurts?

She's beautiful.

Ravenclaw wins.

She's beautiful.

Final score: Two hundred and ten to Seventy.

Susan Bones is beautiful.

Pansy Parkinson (still without eyebrows) mutters that they only lost because Malfoy quit the team.

Susan Bones is beautiful.

He's still empty.

Susan Bones is beautiful.

Susan Bones is funny.

Susan Bones is charming.

Susan Bones is sweet.

Susan Bones is his best friend.

Susan Bones is broken.

Michael Corner is empty.

* * *

Luna Lovegood says her head is full of Nargles.

She asks what Nargles are.

Luna Lovegood gives her a copy of The Quibbler.

She reads it cover to cover.

Nargles infest your mind when you're in love.

In love?

Her mother owls her and tells her that she's working too much over these holidays, and that it would be best if Susan stays at Hogwarts these holidays.

Harry Potter comes up to her after Herbology.

"Hi, Susan, I was sorry to hear about your aunt."

She smiles slightly at him, and nods.

"Thanks, Harry."

He starts to walk away but she calls out.

"Wait, Potter, I'm sorry about your godfather."

Slughorn throws a Christmas Party.

She's invited but she doesn't go.

Divination homework is a real buzz kill.

* * *

Luna Lovegood says his head is full of Nargles.

He laughs and nods.

"Sure it is Luna."

She gives him a butterbeer cork necklace.

He wears it just to humour her.

His father owls him asking if he is coming home these holidays.

He says no.

Slughorn throws a Christmas Party.

He's invited but he doesn't go.

He'd rather help her with her homework.

She's beautiful.

After a long night in a cramped library booth, she falls asleep on his shoulder.

He doesn't feel quite so empty anymore.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!"

Hannah Abbott loves Christmas.

Susan Bones does not.

She rolls over on her bed and covers her face with her pillow.

She had said (yelled) no presents.

She had gone so far as to write it on a piece of parchment and stick it on the foot of her bed.

A Fleetwood Mac CD, from Ernie (and she wonders if he knows that Hannah's the one who's obsessed with this band, not her. She prefers The Smiths if she's honest.)

A book, from Terry and Eloise (actually just from Eloise, Terry probably forgot and felt bad and guilt tripped Eloise into saying it was from the both of them).

A dress, from Hannah (she saw it sitting in the thrift shop window at Hogsmeade when she was with Michael and Han).

A box of chocolate cauldrons, from Zacharias (she laughs at this, knowing as she got him the exact same thing).

Susan Bones doesn't like Christmas.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!"

Zacharias Smith loves Christmas.

Or he loves Hannah Abbott. Who loves Christmas.

Michael Corner does not.

Michael Corner kicks Zacharias Smith in the leg for waking him up at such an ungodly hour.

Eleven in the morning.

Zacharias Smith drags Michael Corner out of bed. Literally.

A book, from Hannah (Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches, he laughed, then furrowed his eyebrows in confusion).

A box of jelly slugs, along with a broomstick care kit from Zacharias.

A bottle of firewhiskey, from Eloise (his favourite so far).

Quidditch tickets, from Terry, Hannah and Ernie (he doesn't even support either of the teams but still).

Michael Corner doesn't like Christmas.

* * *

Susan Bones doesn't like Christmas.

She never has.

But this year is the worst one so far.

Her mind's plague with memories of the past and she wants to crumble and cry.

She wants to be alone but its _Christmas_.

No-one will give her space or solitude on _Christmas_.

It starts to consume her.

She closes her eyes and takes a shaky breath.

Eating away at her piece by piece.

And she can't take it anymore.

Alone.

The castle is deserted.

Almost.

But it's enough for her to leave the feast unnoticed.

Almost.

The Astronomy Tower is always abandoned.

Almost always.

She tries to blink away the tears, forcing them away.

No such luck.

They trickle down her cheeks and soft sobs escape her mouth.

They reduce her to the floor and she buries her head in her knees.

She's a broken wreck of a person.

Trying so hard to be passed as whole.

"Susan?"

* * *

Michael Corner doesn't like Christmas.

He doesn't like the fake decorations and the flashing lights.

He doesn't like the 'everybody loves everybody' attitude and the compulsory present giving.

He does, however, like the food.

He turns to wrap his arm around her shoulder and brush her hair out of her…

Susan?

Since when does she have short black hair?

"Sorry about that, Terry."

He smiles slightly and looks around for (his) Susan, she was always next to him, always on the right, but not now.

"She just left."

Susan?

She wouldn't just leave, not without telling him.

He meant them.

No without telling (him) them.

Something _has _to be wrong.

She's Susan Bones and he knows her better than anyone.

Best friends, right?

He would find her and he would make it all better.

The Astronomy Tower.

Soft, uncontrollable sobbing, coming from the highest tower.

"Susan?"

_Susan._

* * *

"Susan?"

_Michael._

It's Michael.

It's always Michael.

It's always Michael who's always there.

It's always Michael who she can trust and who she can have complete faith in.

It's always Michael who she can count on to make her laugh and smile.

It's Michael.

It's Michael who she collapses completely into, whose hands keep her upright and whose voice calms her down.

"It's going to be okay."

He says it over and over again, till it becomes stuck in her head, his voice, his words, his promise, and she believes it.

Almost.

"It's going to be okay."

They're his own words but he doesn't believe them.

"It's going to be okay."

It's a broken promise for the already broken girl and he hates himself for saying it.

"It's going to be okay."

She's sobbing, into his chest, her tears almost drenching his shirt.

"It's going to be okay."

It's the first time, the first time he's seen her in pain, the first time she's let him to see her in pain, the first time her barrier has broken.

"It's going to be okay."

It's the bone crushing, gut wrenching realization that no-one's ever seen her like that before, that she's almost hysterical, she's rubble in his arms and the only thing keeping her together is….him?

"It's going to be okay."

He gasps, the almost blinding truth hitting him in the face, closing off his airways and not letting him take a breath of the ever so prized oxygen.

"It's going to be okay."

It's the realization that he, Michael bloody Corner, Ravenclaw, the boy who is all statistics and no substance, the boy who is completely empty on the inside, is in love with Susan Bones.

"It's going to be okay."

He believes it now, oh, he has to believe it, it's the only way things can be now.

"It's going to be okay."

_I love you._

* * *

It's waking up to grey sheets and a heavy head.

It's waking up to Terry's laugh and Zacharias' groans.

It's waking up to a messy brown haired boy with piercing blue eyes.

"Are you okay?"

His voice would quiet, almost a silent whisper, and he'd hand her one of his jumpers to keep her warm.

The question was left unanswered.

She let him stay in his room.

In his bed.

"Susan."

Michael Corner has a lot of qualities she likes.

Being a stubborn twat is quite often one of them.

But not today.

"Drop it, please?"

He sighs and nods and she rolls back over in his bed.

* * *

Best friends.

He says the words to no-one in particular.

**Best**, adjective, most _satisfactory_, suitable, or useful; most _desirable_.

**Friend**, noun, a person whom one knows, likes, and _trusts_.

He desires her.

A day doesn't go by anymore that he doesn't.

He doesn't know if it's her just shocking red hair or those bloody hazel eyes.

She drives him _insane._

The void is opening again, tearing him from the inside out and he wants it to stop.

He wants her.

His heart, his heart is breaking (and it never breaks) because of her.

His heart is destroying his mind.

He loves her.

He loves her so very much.

She's overrun his mind and his senses and he can't think straight anymore.

He is so infatuated by her the world is a sea of that bright red and he's drowning in it.

She's the love of his life.

* * *

Zacharias Smith and Hannah Abbott break up.

It's the first time Zac's had his heart broken.

They say it was mutual agreement.

That they were toxic to each other.

Susan knows this because she's currently staying in the same dorm as Zacharias.

* * *

Zacharias Smith and Hannah Abbott break up.

It's not the first time Hannah's had her heart broken.

They say it was mutual agreement.

That they were toxic to each other.

Michael knows this because he sits next to Hannah in Charms.

* * *

Classes start again and she has her routine back.

She wakes up and has breakfast with Michael and Zacharias.

He wraps his arm around her and brushes her hair out of her eyes.

She grins (actually grins) at him and blushes.

She goes to class.

McGonagall says she needs to put more effort in if she wants to pass.

Slughorn smiles at her and says her grade is going from an 'Acceptable' to a 'Exceeds Expectations.'

Snape is indifferent and gives her an hour long detention.

She has lunch with Michael, Eloise and Terry.

She notices that when he grins, you can see his perfectly pearly teeth, with a little glimpse of his soft pink tongue.

She shakes her head and her cheeks turn bright red.

She walks with Eloise to her next class.

Professor Sprout says it's good to see her doing better.

She replies with a swift nod and a small smile.

She has dinner with Michael and does homework with Hannah.

She goes to sleep in her own bed.

Michael, oh, Michael, he fills in the day-to-day cracks and gives her something, someone to rely on, something to trust.

It's those bright blue eyes.

Piercing.

Trusting.

She'll think of them and she'll forget what she was doing before.

"Michael Corner, what are you doing to me?"

* * *

He dreams about her.

He wakes up in the morning and thinks of her.

He has breakfast with Susan and Zacharias.

He wraps his arm around her shoulder and brushes her hair out of her eyes.

He thinks of her.

He goes to class and thinks of her.

McGonagall says if he'll have to start to actually pay attention if he wants to pass.

He thinks of her.

Slughorn makes his class revisit love potions and all he can smell is that bloody scent of lemon lime and bitters.

He thinks of her.

Snape calls him a git and gives him a two hour detention.

He thinks of her.

He has lunch with Susan, Eloise and Terry.

He wraps his arm around her waist, and brushes her hair out of her eyes.

He grins at her (a proper grin too) and has to stop himself from kissing her.

Again.

He walks with Terry to his next class.

Hannah keeps asking him about Zacharias and Professor Flitwick squeaks at them both to shut up.

He replies with a swift "Yes, sir."

And a grin.

He thinks of her.

He has dinner with Susan and accidently finds himself staring at her.

Again.

His hand rests against her leg for most of the meal.

He thinks of her.

He goes to sleep in his own bed.

He's smothered by that bright red hair.

"Susan Bones, what are you doing to me?"

* * *

"Hey, Susan,"

He grins at her and her heart skips a beat.

"Hey there, Michael."

He brushes some crumbs off her upper lip and her tongue just brushes against his finger.

"What are you doing this weekend?"

She laughs softly, shakes her head and looks down at the floor (and his leg).

"Well, now you are, you're coming to The Three Broomsticks with me."

Susan Bones and Michael Corner are going on date.

Right?

* * *

"Hey, Susan."

He's gained a little courage.

Just a little.

She's so beautiful when she smiles.

"Hey there, Michael."

She's so beautiful when she smiles.

There's a few crumbs sitting on her upper lip and he lets himself have this one moment of weakness where he just has to softly brush it off.

Her tongue just darts up and it touches the pad of his thumb.

_Electric shock._

"What are you doing this weekend?"

He already knows, whether they plan it or not, they'll end up going to Hogsmede together.

But he prefers the outcome of the plan to the wing it.

Her head shakes and in his mind he's doing cartwheels.

"Well, now you are, you're coming to The Three Broomsticks with me."

Susan Bones and Michael Corner actually going on a date.

Sort of.

Kind of.

* * *

Butterflies attack her stomach and she feels sick.

She's wearing the dress Hannah gave her for Christmas and she hates herself for not realizing that it's really quite short.

She's sitting at the bar of The Three Broomsticks checking the clock on the wall.

She was ten minutes late in her usual Susan Bones style.

If he comes in the door now he'll be twenty seven minutes later than her.

She sighs, pulling out a few sickles out of her pocket and waves over the barmaid.

"Two butterbeers, please."

The barmaid gives her a look and she just rolls her eyes, shuffling in her chair.

"Michael, where are you?"

Her (their) drinks sit in front of her and she takes a sip of one.

The warm liquid tickles her throat and makes her sigh slightly.

He's almost forty minutes late and she grumbles to herself.

Maybe she got the time wrong.

One hour.

One hour and ten minutes.

One hour and thirty minutes.

Two hours.

Susan Bones picks up her things and goes to sit with Hannah and Ernie.

Michael Corner never came.

* * *

Butterflies attack his stomach and he feels like he's about to throw up.

His heart is racing as he stares at his reflection in the mirror.

He runs a hand through his hair (he tries to make it look presentable but he soon discovers that's physically impossible).

He straightens his jacket and double checks his shoelaces.

He's running ten minutes late.

It doesn't matter though.

He manages to catch the last carriage with a group of overly excited Gryffindor fourth years.

He gets out and buys her a bunch of daises.

Well, he doesn't know if she likes daises so he buys her several bouquets and kind of smashes them into one jumbo one.

Then realizes that they had a jumbo bouquet for half the price of buying a whole heap of them.

Also that it looks so much prettier than his DIY one.

He sighs and runs his hand through his hair again.

He's about to push open the door and all his dreams are about to _finally_ come true.

The curse hits him in the back and he cripples to the floor.

Michael Corner never came.

* * *

Michael Corner never came.

She's seething and she pulls a jumper over the so pretty dress she wore just for him.

She doesn't know if she's angry because he stood her up or because she started to feel _more_ for him.

Stupid Michael Corner.

He's her best friend.

He's not supposed to stand her up on dates.

He's not supposed to ask her out on dates in the first place.

"You really should come and see this."

Terry's voice is unusually solemn and it sends a wave of pure shock through her.

She follows him up the stairs and onto the first floor corridor.

The Hospital Wing doors open and her heart falls to the floor.

Stupid Michael Corner.

He's lying on a bed, his eyes shut tight and blood covering his face.

She can't breathe.

No movement, no sign of life, just the slightest movement of his chest as he takes the shallowest breaths.

She can't breathe.

The flowers.

The flowers lying on the bedside table and his jacket, his best jacket, sitting on the chair.

"Cruciatus Curse. We don't know who did it or how long."

She can't breathe.

"Michael."

Tears roll down her cheeks and she takes a shaky breath in the hope of getting some oxygen in her lungs.

Her hand cups his cheek and she shivers from how cold his skin feels.

He's Michael and he can't get hurt.

He protects her from all the bad things.

He's her shield and he's meant to be unbreakable.

But she's standing over his broken body, her tears landing on his cheeks, before she wipes them away.

She can't breathe.

It's overwhelming her.

It's not the sorrow she normally feels.

No, this is different, and this is so much worse.

It's the fear of losing him.

It's the fear of losing him and it takes control of her and she can't stop sobbing.

He's like the air in her lungs and without him she can't breathe.

He's Michael Corner and he's not allowed to get hurt.

He's Michael Corner and she's in love with him.

She knows now.

She knows now that he's Michael Corner and he completes her.

If she loses him she loses the world and so much more.

He's her world, he's the stars in the night sky, he's the sun and he's the rain.

He's everything good and everything else as well.

She's in love with him.

Susan Bones is hopelessly in love with Michael Corner.

Ever since he gave her his cloak.

She knows now.

She can't breathe.

* * *

His eyes flicker open.

Pain.

Burning away at his skin and itching into his bloodstream.

Pain.

He wants to scream, he wants to cry out and hope that somebody (Susan) comes and rescues him.

Hell, he wants to _die_.

It's the first time he's every felt weak, the first time he's ever felt powerless.

He's Michael Corner and he's never had a moment where he hasn't felt in control.

Until now.

Every nerve in his body is attacking his own mind and he just wants it to _stop._

His eyes are just able to look to the side and see _her_.

It's her.

The scent of her bloody red hair seeps through his nose and it's either her or the medicine the nurse just poured down his throat, but the overwhelming pain is fading, slowly, achingly.

It's dulling down slowly.

"Susan."

He can just say her name, his voice soft and crackled but he can say it and it brings so much relief.

Then he realizes that all through this, her hand is softly wrapped around her own and it anchors him to stone cold reality.

Her cheeks are still damp with tears and for a brief moment he hates himself so much for doing this to her.

For being someone who makes her cry.

For being someone who makes her cheeks blotch red and her eyes water.

"Michael…"

Her voice is soft and sleepy, but her eyes are just open, and the smallest, softest of smiles is sitting on her lips.

Uninvited, she stands up and leans down and kisses his forehead and a whole new wave of pain-dulling medicine runs through his system.

He smiles at her, his hand slowly coming up to cup her cheek and he wipes away her tears and he allows himself one moment to just stare at her absolutely beautiful hazel eyes.

"Stay."

His voice is slightly louder now, but his throat still aches and the medicine is making him drowsy.

"Lie with me, please?"

It's almost a soft beg.

He probably smells and his face his covered with blood and dirt and his hair is matted with sweat.

He's in his hour of need and he needs her.

He needs her and she nods and climbs into the bed with him.

He wraps his arms around her and feels her soft skin lying next to his.

Her warm breath is against his ear and her long soft legs rub against his own.

Her hair tickles her cheek and her bloody, bloody scent makes him drowsier than ever.

"Susan…"

He sits up slightly, pushing her hair out of her face, the three words, those three words are dancing on the tip of his tongue.

"I-"

He looks down and realizes she's fallen asleep, and he sighs in defeat.

"_I love you_."

* * *

Routines change.

She wakes up in the morning and has breakfast with Michael in the Hospital Wing.

She goes to class and doesn't pay attention, wondering if he's going to be okay.

McGonagall is sick with the flu so Professor Binns is taking the class.

Slughorn tells her that her grade has dropped back down to 'Acceptable'.

Michael's more important.

Snape gives her a detention.

She has lunch with Michael.

And falls in love with him all over again.

She skips Herbology and stays in the Hospital Wing with him.

Madame Pomfrey just laughs and says Susan was feeling sick, so it was best she stayed there.

She has dinner with Michael and Terry, who comes to join them, but soon promptly leaves for 'reasons unknown'.

Michael tucks her hair behind her ear and smiles at her.

Then he kisses her.

* * *

Her lips are soft and pink, and just the slightest tad damp.

She tastes like lemon cheesecake and the lemonade his grandma used to make.

She's heaven and she's all that's pure in the world.

She's the white fluffy clouds in the perfect blue sky.

She's the love of his life.

There's no-one else.

He knows that.

Hell, he's always known that.

She's the missing part to them, the part that makes him complete.

He's complete.

Michael Corner, the boy who is completely empty.

The void closes.

He's not empty any more.

He pulls her closer; her body flush against his and her arms wrapped around his neck.

And Merlin Alive! She's kissing him back.

She's Susan Bones.

His Susan Bones.

And she's kissing him back.

Her tongue is pressing lightly against his own and he can't help but do fucking cartwheels in his mind.

"I love you."

He mutters softly under his breath, pulling her closer and closer.

He can see the cracks in her soul and he can pull her back together.

He knows he can.

He's Michael Corner and he's in love with her, Susan Bones.

She's Susan Bones and she's in love with him, Michael Corner.

This is how their story ends.

* * *

_These candle sticks turn molten wax,_  
_And so do we slip through the cracks,_  
_But I don't mind, these changing times._

* * *

**AN:** Well, I hope you enjoyed it!  
I do not own anything at all, all credit goes towards JK Rowling!  
I've kind of fallen in love with these two (especially Michael)  
Loosely (and I mean loosely) based on Changing Times by Iwan Rheon.  
Dedicated to _Eloise_.


End file.
